Tamang OC Lang - A Newbie's Guide to Car Care Maintenance Version 2

Tamang OC lang A newbie's guide to car appearance maintenance

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ExtremeDetailing, scharnhorst, 2011

I. FOREWORD. First of all, I'd like to thank sir Edwin, ma'am madkatz and all the tsikoteers at the Detailing thread for sharing their knowledge and experiences about detailing. I got most of my methods based on their inputs, and this would never be possible without them. Like most of us, I came from using old t-shirts and whatever cloth available to clean our rides. I saw rain as a blessing since I could just wipe it down afterwards to clean it. Our Ranger attests to almost ten years of that. Now I am horrified whenever I see Bimmers and Mercs running around practicaly swimming in swirl marks. This is not an end-all, be-all comprehensive guide to auto detailing, but rather a guide to a couple of common car care procedures for both enthusiasts and newbies. I am also not in any way affiliated with Microtex, Mother's, Optimum, Collinite, Micromagic, Joy, or Perla. Any comments or suggestions to improve this would be welcome! -Jason

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II. WASHING: Important concepts: 1) Clearcoat - an automobile’s automobile’s paint paint has a protective layer of non-pigmented resin over it. This is the clearcoat. This is the surface that gets scratched sc ratched during improper washing or correction. -Any kind of abrasive, such as rubbing compounds, polishes, and certain cleaner waxes will abrade the clearcoat. -A thick, intact clearcoat gives an "orange-peel" like appearance

-Products that are "clear-coat safe" are non-abrasive 2) Swirl marks - these are small scratches on the clearcoat that are not apparent because they are usually found superficially. They can be seen using LED lights or Xenon lamps. -A typical black car during nighttime, when shined with he adlights, will reveal these swirl marks.

*photo credits from frenchperformancecars.com

3) Water marks - these are left by evaporating water. These can either be mineral deposits or acid rain etching. Mineral deposits are usually removed through the process of claying and polishing. Acid rain etchings usually require compounding and in sometimes even wetsanding.

*photo credits from caradvice.co.uk

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*note: don't wear watches, rings, belt buckles, or steel-buttoned shorts while washing or waxing. These can scratch and ding the surface are a on a hot day. It'll be a watermark farm. *note: don't wash in an open area *note: don’t wash the car while the hood is still hot. This may cause watermarks. Also washing hot painted surface causes premature aging of the coat. Allow the engine to cool (pop the hood open if you have to) before washing the car MUST needs: 1) At least 2 buckets Q: why 2 buckets? A: one will be used for the shampoo solution; the other will be a rinsing bucket used to remove grits and dirt particles from the washmitt. The rinsing bucket is needed to prevent soiling of the shampoo solution.

2 Car shampoo (Microtex Shampoo P150/1 L iter, Prochoice P700/5 gallons, Bigberts P450/1 gallon ) Q: Why a dedicated car shampoo and not dishwashing liquid or powdered detergent? A: dishwashing liquids, such as Joy, are grease strippers, and the waxes that protect a car's paint are made up of oils. Using dishwashing liquids will deteriorate or remove these waxes. Powder detergents will leave unsightly streaks when they dry and if they are not properly dissolved they will also cause scratches. Q: why do I need shampoo at all? diba okay na water+chamois or water+washmitt? A: water cannot lubricate the surface enough to safely remove dirt and grit particles and prevent microscratches from occuring. Even running water will not provide enough lubrication for the surface. A typical "driver-maintained" car (water+chamois) is guaranteed to have a ton of swirl marks. 3)Microfiber washmitt (Microtex - ~P330, ACE - ~P90) Q: why a washmitt and not a sponge? A: a microfiber washmitt will pick up the dirt from the surface. A sponge will drag dirt across the surface, causing microscratches (i.e. swirl marks). Q: are the cheap microfiber washmitts from ACE good for this? A: they're okay for the job, but if you get these single-sided washmitts, you will need two of them – one – one for the upper half and one for the lower half of the vehicle. In comparison, a double sided washmitt can be flipped, so that the other side can be used for the bottom half of the vehicle Q: why is there need for a separate washmitt for the upper and lower half of the vehicle? A: The lower half of the vehicles tend to accumulate dust, grit, asphalt and other roadside contaminants. The upper half of the vehicle are prone to other contaminants like tree saps and bird droppings. We recommend using a dedicated washmitt to prevent cross contamination especially to prevent getting a heavy accumulation of contaminants from rubbing across the upper panels. 4)Microfiber chamois (Microtex chamois: P250) or a microfiber drying cloth (Microtex Elite: P600-900, depending where, Water Magnet) Q: why a non-rubber chamois? A: like a sponge, rubber chamois will drag any residual dirt across the surface, causing microscratches. a microfiber chamois picks the dirt up rather than dragging it across the surface. Rubber chamois can also strip wax by being too adherent to the surface. Q: aren't microfiber chamois less effective than rubber ones? A: microfiber chamois hold less water, and may take some time before "sucking up" water. They work more effectively when already damp (but not soaked) A microfiber drying cloth, such as the Microtex Elite or Water Magnet is more capable than either kind of chamois (dries an SUV without needing a single squeeze) and w ill not scratch the surface (due to its wafer-like microfiber weave).

Q: what if I don't have a microfiber chamois or cloth? A: "slapping" or “patting” the car dry with a rubber chamois is safe for the clearcoat.

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5)cheap microfiber cloth (i.e. the 3 for 88 pesos from micromagic or the ones available in ACE for less than P100) Q:for? A:drying the mags, the doorsills, the engine bay 6)sponge Q:akala ko ba di kelangan ng sponge? A:para sa wheel wells! Other materials: 1)tire brush (Mr. Clean: P:250, Mothers: ~P200) *note: the Mr. Clean brush can be used for the mags themselves

2)toilet brush Q:for? A: the undercoated parts of the whee l wells. Q: can I use this for the plastics? A: no. This will scratch the wheel well plastics. 3)electric blower/leaf blower (900-1.5k in RAON, depending on t he brand) *note: this is for the crevices, crannies, door handles, gas lid, and emblems to prevent formation of hard water deposits Q:What if I don't have one? A:you could manually blow at these areas with or without a straw, but be prepared to get light headed. Alternatively, you can just try to reach at these places with a microfiber cloth. 4)pressure washer (notes later on this guide)

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PROCEDURE: 1)Prep the materials

-Car shampoo (Microtex) -Washmitt for the body (Microtex - Brown) -Washmitt for the mags (ACE - orange)

-Non-Rubber Chamois (Microtex) -Cheap Microfiber Cloth (Micromagic) -Leaf Blower (Dewalt)

2)Prep the buckets Q: why three? A: personal preference, I put a rinse bucket on each side of the car for easy access. Ensure there is enough water in each of the rinse buckets (at least 3/4s) Q: why do I need r inse buckets? A: these are to avoid soiling the shampoo-containing bucket. Q: why is one red? A: to prevent confusion, the red one is for the shampoocontaining water.

3)Prepare the shampoo. Q: how do you know how much capfuls to use? A: it depends on the amount of water, in order to determine if there is enough shampoo, stir the mixture, then try to feel it between your fingers

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If it is slippery, it's good to go . In a bucket of this size, I usually use three capfuls Q: does it need to be bubbly? A: no. lubricity (how slippery it is) is more important

4)Wet the car *you can use a hose or a pressure washer for this step

On Pressure washers i) Uses: Pressure washers can be used to remove a majority of dust particles and contaminants from the car, and are also used for removing gunk and grime from under carriage and wheel wells. Pressure washers are also used for operating certain designs of foam machine allowing foam to dwell for extended periods of time on the paint. ii) Proper usage: Pressure washer should never be directed to hit at a single concentrated point, this can cause scratches if there are dirt particles on the paint since the dirt particles will be pressed and dragged across the clear coat. The pressure washer should be set on a spread out or fan setting to be gentle to the paint the general rule of thumb is that if the water stream is painful for your hand, it is either too strong or too focused that you need to adjust it. Also note that a too-strong stream of water can also degrade the wax.

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5)Cleaning the Body i. dip the half-surface to be used onto the shampoo+water solution. No need to immerse the entire mitt. Just make sure the entire thing is damp before dipping it into the bucket

ii. wipe it across one panel in a linear fashion. Let the washmitt's weight apply the pressure onto the surface.

iii. rinse the washmitt with the rinse bucket after one panel.

*photo credits from pinnaclewax.com

*Remember: kusutin ang washmitt, but avoid disturbing the dirt-laden water at the bottom of the rinse bucket by scrubbing the washmitt at the upper half of the bucket. A grit-guard (pictured above) can aid in this by trapping the dirt particles at the bottom.

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*note: always lightly wring the washmitt before dipping it into the shampoo solution to remove excess water. This excess water can further dilute the shampoo solution, reducing its lubricity and effectiveness.

REPEAT i-iii for all the other panels. Yes. shampoo-panel-rinse-shampoo-panel-rinse-shampoo-panel. shampoo-panel-rinse-shampoo-panel-rinse-shampoo-panel. *REMEMBER: TOP to BOTTOM! That means: the hood, roof, and bootlid before everything else.

*Above the beltline

*NOTE: before proceeding to under the beltline, FLIP the washmitt if it's double sided, or use another one.

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6)Cleaning the mags and wheelwells i.Materials ~ washmitt, Mr. Clean tirebrush, sponge *You will most probably still have shampoo+water mix leftover from cleaning the body. Otherwise, make another, smaller batch. *note: you can start off with the wheels, but ensure that the mags are cooled down before washing them.

ii. Washmitt for the mags. Remember to cle an in between the spokes.

iii. Tirebrush

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iV. Sponge for the wheelwell plastics

Q:Why a sponge? A: A brush with hard bristles will scratch the plastic parts of the wheelwells. But a brush is fine on the other areas. Brushes with soft and feathered bristles, however, are safe for the plastics.

applies here. Expect the rinse water to turn pitch black by this time. *REMEMBER: shampoo-surface-rinse-shampoo still applies

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7) Rinsing and Drying i. spray off any shampoo residue. Q:How do you know if the wax is still alive? A:Beading occurs if there's still wax. Looks like t his:

Otherwise it will look like this: *this is what they call "mapping" or “dapa”

ii. flood the areas with smooth-flowing water from a hose. In waxed cars, this will significantly decrease the amount of water left on the surface

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iii. Fold the (microfiber)chamois/drying cloth, and let its weight drag it across the surface for the horizontally-oriented panels

iV. For the side-panels, Apply light pressure - e nough only to press it lightly against the surface) whilst dragging it along

*NOTE: if it squeaks, check if the microfiber is dirty. Use another side if possible.

v. Dry the crevices, corners, lights, emblems, door handles, and any hard to reach areas with a blower, manual blowing, or a microfiber *NOTE: make sure to sling the power cable on your shoulder to prevent the cable from scratching the paint work, and that the extension cord outlet and plug are not touching the water. *in this picture, I secured the junction between the blower plug and the extension cord outlet with electrical tape and let it dangle above the water. safety first!

vi.Dry the doorsills and mags and the engine hood underside with a cheap MF cloth. Q: won’t using that cheapo MF cloth on the mags scratch it? A: not necessarily, the clearcoat on mags are thicker than that of the body Pinoydetailing.com


III. TRIMS *it is recommended that dressing the trims be done before waxing, residual dressing that got on paint panels can easily be removed through the waxing process or with a simple QD wipe. Another benefit of dressing trims prior to waxing is that on the occasion that wax residues get on dressed trims, it is a lot easier to remove than if the trims were bare. *applying trim dressing is similar to tire black application, which will be discussed in detail later. Recommended trim products include: Microtex Tire Black, Meg’ Meg’s Ultimate Protectant, Mother’ Mother’s Protectant.

IV. WAXING Important concepts: 1) Layering - generally, products with oils (such as most waxes) cannot be layered over with another product (i.e. a sealant, or another wax), since the second product will not bind. *Certain products, such as sealants and glazes (discussed later) or certain waxes (usually synthetic waxes: Microtex Nanoglos, Meg’s NXT, Mother’s FX wax) can be layered over with another wax. wax. *It is necessary to wait for the product to cure before attempting to layer Q: what is the curing time for waxes, sealants and glazes? A: waxes: usually 8 hours; sealants: usually 24 hours; glazes: no curing time; 2) Finger test - a test to see if the wax is ready for buffing i. flick your finger on the wax r esidue, it's ready if it readily comes o ff

3) Wax-on, Wax-off - it's not advisable to wax an entire car before buffing off the residue - becomes so much harder to buff it off. Instead, a panel by panel approach is recommended, especially for paste waxes. 4) Glazes vs. Sealants - Sealants are protection-biased products and are generally more durable than waxes. However, they are best used in conjunction with w axes to prolong the life of the sealant. Sealants have a curing time (24 hours). -Glazes are aesthetics-biased products, filling swirls and enhancing the shine. However, they will not last long on their own without a protective wax. *note: waxes can be laye red over most sealants and glazes in order to improve their lifespan Examples: Glazes: Mother’s Step 2 (P500), Poorboy’s Blackhole Blackhole Sealants: Klasse All-In-One+Klasse Sealant and Glaze (P2,600 at Bigberts AKA Carlack 68 sealant), Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant, Zaino, Optimum Opti-seal (P1,500)

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*pictured: Klasse All-in-One and High Gloss Sealant Glaze (Left) and Optimum Opti-Seal (Right) Materials 1) Wax (of course!) here are certain waxes that I've had firsthand experience and their g eneral impressions a) Microtex Nanoglos (~P350/500 mL. P40 for the sachet): easy-on, easy off liquid wax, can be applied on hot surfaces and under direct sunlight. Fills swirls very very competently. Best partnered with Nanosliq. Durability: can last a couple of washes or rain b) Collinite 476s (~P700 at autobisyo): Paste wax. Hard to remove if multiple panels are allowed to set before buffing. One of the most durable waxes locally available. Able to resist a couple of weeks of rain or several washes before fading away. c) Collinite 915: Paste wax. Better shine than 476, but slightly less durable. Still more durable than most Over-theCounter waxes d) Collinite Fleetwax (~P1600): used for boats. even tougher than 476. e) Mothers Step 3 (~P695): Liquid wax. Doesn't fill swirls as nicely as Nanoglos, and nowhere near durable as 476 (can be lost after a couple of washes or rain) f) 3M Liquid Wax (~P40/sachet): no swirl filling capability, similar properties to Mothers Step 3

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*note: Meguiar s NXT Techwax 2.0 and Mother s FX Synwax are Synthetic waxes. All the others pictured above are carnauba waxes ’

’

2) Applicator pads. Most common are the Microtex applicator pad (~P80) and the 4 for 88 pesos micromagic applicator. *the violet is the microtex applicator pad. the yellow round foam is the micromagic applicator

3) Microfiber cloths (Microtex) Terry (orange, P120), Plush (pink P200), Ultra Plush (green ~P250) -the Terry is ideal for applying QDs and drying surfaces -the Plush and Ultra Plush are ideal for buffing off waxes and QDs *NOTE: the MF cloths were folded twice to give 8 buffing surfaces to work with. *NOTE: these MF cloths have two surfaces: a fluffy surface with “fingers”, and a smoother underside. The fluffy surface is ideal for buffing, the smooth surface is for applying products such as booster QDs

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PROCEDURE 1) Prep materials - in this case, a microtex applicator and Nanoglos

2) Apply wax onto a panel using a linear pattern (following how the wind strikes the car). Make sure to put the wax on the applicator, instead of on the panel.

Q: any advantages over a circular motion? A: if a mistake is made, a circular swirl mark is visible from every angle. A linear mark is visible from only one. Q: can I still use a c ircular motion in applying waxes then? A: if you are confident of your prep work (that the surface is clean), then you can always use the circular motion for applying waxes Q:How much to apply? A:There's no need to turn the panel white with wax residue. Remember that only a very thin layer is actually going to stick to the paint -all the rest is just buffed off and wasted, more wax residue on the microfiber cloth only makes the cloth harder to wash and loose its effe ctiveness As long as there's some haze, it's good to go. Q:I put wax onto the trim! how do I remove it? A:use a damp sponge or a cloth w ith joy, or any other degreaser 3)Allow wax to dry on panel, then test using the "Finger Test" as described above

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4)Buff off wax using a linear motion

Q:Why linear? A: see explanation for applying it in a linear fashion Q: how about circular motions? A: you can use it, again provided that the MF cloth and the surface is clean Q: The Microtex tag keeps slapping the paint when I buff. A: you can cut it off. Just remember r emember the instructions written on it *Note: a usual microfiber cloth has two sides: a fluffy surface, and a less fluffy surface. The fluffier surface is the one better suited for buffing. Repeat steps 2-4 for all the other panels. 5)Buff off any residue. Q: how about stubborn residue? A: buff off with a QD (Quick Detailer)

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V. TIRES Materials 1) Tireblack. Avoid clear, viscous, caustic products, these products gives a nice dark and wet look shine but causes brittling of the tire sidewalls, leading to burst tires Q: what other tireblack brands are good? A:Bigbert’s tyre cream (P150/tub) is a water-based water-based tire black and gives a matte finish.

2) Sponge

*Note: Make sure that the tires are clean

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PROCEDURE: 1) Apply tireblack onto the sponge. In this case , I am using Microtex tireblack (~P250)

2) Squeeze sponge to distribute tireblack

3) Apply to tire

Repeat for all tires. Q: how about the wheelwells? A: you can spray meg’s hyper dressing in order to keep the wheelwell plastics black. A cheap alternative is a mixture of microtex tireblack and water at a ratio of 1 tireblack: 5 water. Spray onto the plastics to give a matte finish. *note: you can use undiluted Microtex tireblack for the wheel well plastics for initial application to clean and enhance the surface texture and quality Pinoydetailing.com


Last step: enjoy how it looks before it rains... again.

VI. OTHERS Dusters – Dusters – used used to dust the car , best ones are the California Duster and the Microtex Duste r. Avoid the feather and plastic dusters as these will scratch your car.

Quick Detailers - there are 2 types: Cleaners and Boosters -Cleaner QDs are used to clean gunk, such as bird droppings and tree sap in a cinch. Examples: a)Optimum No Rinse: Cleaner QD. Mixed with distilled water in different dilutions, depending on use 1:16 - Cleaning QD 1:32 - Rinseless Wash 1:64 - Clay lube Q: Why distilled water? A: ONR will precipitate any impurities in tap water, rendering the solution useless. b) Meguiars Quik Detailer c) Mother’s Showtime

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Q: when do I need a cleaner QD? A: after dusting, for removing wax residue, for removing bird droppings and tree sap Q: how to apply a cleaner QD? A: mist the area to be cleaned, and the area around, then use use the fluffy side of a MF cloth wipe the area. If the impurity impurity is not removed after one pass, do not keep rubbing the area, instead re-apply the QD and wipe the area again. Repeat as needed. -Booster QDs either improve the durability of the wax underneath it or improve the looks. These should not be used for cleaning, as they do not have enough lubricity to safely strip off dirt from the surface of a car. a)Microtex Nanosliq (P280/500 mL): Booster QD: essentially a liquid wax. Fills swirls nicely, but is prone to streaking b)Mother's FX Spray Wax (P495/700 mL): liquid wax. Easier to buff than Nanosliq, but doesn't fill swirls as good. c)Mother’s Reflections Spray Wax (P595/700 mL): liquid wax, but more viscous than the other examples here. Hard to spread on a dry surface and hard to buff, but it gives a great shine and has swirl-filling capabilities. d)Optimum Car Wax: A liquid wax/sealant. Easy to apply, no buffing required, provides great sheeting, and is more durable than most over the counter waxes. Looks good too. e)Optimum Gloss Enhancer: As the name implies, it enhances the shine. Dust repellant, making it easier to dust off a car. No beading or sheeting however .

*Pictured above: booster QDs and booster waxes Q: How to apply a booster QD? A: just spray it on a clean surface and then spread with a Microfiber towel. For best results, sweep the panel as you spray to maximize coverage. Q: Do I need to buff the booster QD? A: Depends. Mother's FX and Nanosliq require some buffing. Optimum Car wax and Optimum Gloss enhancer do not need any buffing

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Cleaning your detailing equipment a) Degreasers: This is needed to remove waxes, oils and dirt from your microfiber washmitt, cloths, and wax applicators. For general use, Joy dishwashing liquid is good enough. b) Perla white: In order to maintain the tenderness of the microfiber cloths, they are washed with Perla White after degreasing.

Q: Can I use fabric softeners? A: No. This will damage the microfibers. Q: How do I dry them? A: Let them air-dry. Do NOT dry them under the sun, as this will stiffen the microfibers. To aid in drying, they can be spun in a washing machine's spinner. Q: When to clean your car? A: This depends on the weather conditions. During the rainy season, one might wash up to three times a week, or use cleaning QDs every day. During the summer, a single wash and wax session can go a long way - dust is simply dusted off with a duster. Q: When to wax your car? A: Depends on the type of wax you're using. Most OTC waxes are gone after a rain or after the first wash. Collinite waxes have consistently been able to last at least one week in harsh Philippine conditions. In order to prolong the life of the wax, spray booster waxes can be used after washing the car.

Happy detailing!

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VII. APPENDIX SAMPLE MAINTENANCE REGIMEN Weekend 1: 1)Apply Nanoglos or Mothers Step 2. *Note: Step 2 does not require any curing time. Nanoglos requires 8 hours 2)Apply Collinite 476 3)Apply Nanosliq after 6 hours

Weekend 2: Apply Nanosliq after washing. Note if the water still beads during rinsing.if it beads, the wax is still alive. Wash. Note if the wax is still beading the w ater Apply Nanosliq after washing Weekend 3: Apply Nanosliq after washing if the wax is still beading. If not, you can e lect to reapply Collinite. Weekend 4: Repeat Weekend 1's steps after claying (to follow.). Where to get products? 1) Microtex products are available at Blade outlets, at Handyman, Ace Hardware, and with sir Edwin. 2) Mother's products are available at Blade outlets and ACE hardware or at their retailer at Santolan. 3) Meg’s Products are available at Blade and at Handyman, Handyman, and at their retailer at Kamias. 4) Collinite products are available with sir Edwin or at Autobisyo. 5) Optimum products are available with sir Ravi and sir Edwin. Do you want to know more? Ask us at the Tsikot Detailing Thread: http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74876 Join Pinoydetailing.com! http://pinoydetailing.com/forum/index.php watch out for an overhauled version soon  V1.0 uploaded on January 15, 2011. -updated prices V1.1. - added cleaning stuff, segregated QD section V1.2 – V1.2 – added added to tsikot V1.3 – V1.3 – added added input about pressure washers V1.4 – V1.4 – additional additional notes regarding the use of microfiber cloths V 1.5 – 1.5 –layout layout changes and more revisions. Removed controversial TW statement V 2.0 – 2.0 –overhaul overhaul c/o Sir Ed.

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Tamang OC Lang - A Newbie's Guide to Car Care Maintenance Version 2

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